SUNDAY

I was in Chicago yesterday for the grand opening of Hawthorn’s Carson Pirie Scott Furniture Gallery.  Taking these quick day trips around the country allows me the chance to share my design tips and learn about your design projects.  I also get to see new furniture collections.

I started the day in an intimate setting where I was able to hear about the specific design challenges you face.  All this information is useful to hear as I continue writing my book series.

Speaking in front of larger groups is one of my favorite things to do.  These larger settings are also fun because everyone has the chance to share their design stories.  I love to help out with a few tips as well.

A new dining chair by Thomas O’Brien was unveiled.  I love the loose seat cushion and the different fabrics used for the upholstery.  Could this be the dining chair I use in my new place??

I like the soft curves of this Liz Claiborne buffet - it has an understated elegance that could work with any style.

Coming up this week:  I will be a key note speaker at the Fall International Furniture Market in High Point, NC.  I just heard my seminar sold out a while back.  For those who can’t make it, I am attaching a link to an article below:

http://www.highpointmarket.org/eNews/20070906/article3.aspx

I will be able to share more details about the NYC Amex Event in the next few days so check back…..

Lazy Sunday

Yesterday the skies opened up and it poured down raining.  I love the rain…it refreshes my mind and clears the air.  So when I woke up this morning, the air was crisp, the streets were clean and I decided it was going to be a textbook lazy Sunday.

my morning view

I started the day off with a walk over to the local farmer’s market to pick up fresh fruit, vegatables and flowers.  Living in a large city, it’s a refreshing change to know the people who grow the food I eat. 

On my way home, I walked up LaCienega Blvd. to do a little window shopping.  It’s nice to be an anonymous shopper when the stores are closed…a must on a lazy Sunday

Woodson and Rummerfield is a favorite of mine for unique accessories and lamps www.wandrdesign.com

Therien & Company carries beautiful antiques and relics like these shell encrusted olive jars. www.therien.com  Another favorite of mine is Downtown’s Boutique - famous for vintage furniture www.downtown20.net

back at home now and this will be my view for the rest of this lazy Sunday…..watching football while lying on the sofa with Oliver and Benson

Yours - Kenneth

Thursday

I recently took on a project that had to be completed in 72 hours.  Typically I would never take on this type of project, but since it was for my friend Matt, I accepted the challenge.  The home is in an older building with a large open plan.  Since time was of the essence I needed to find inspiration fast.

All projects need a starting point and that is why an inspiration piece is so important.  When I showed Matt this picture of a tree trunk I saw in England and said this is our starting point for the design, he thought I had lost my mind.  But once you isolate the details you begin to see how anything can inspire an entire design.  More specifically it was the exposed band of the ruby colored tree trunk that gave me the idea for using ruby colored drapes to highlight amazing large windows.

Once the decision was made to use the ruby colored silk draperies (from Pottery Barn!), the rest of the room began to fall into place.  Since these drapes brought in a punch of color, I selected a sofa that was in a neutral linen with an organic hand.  Adding in a green chaise lounge felt natural as the green grass behind the tree trunk was a great accent to the ruby color.  To keep everything else neutral, I opted for black and white pieces (it helped that these pieces were sitting in my storage unit).  In order to complete the room, I found 2 pillows that married all the colors together.  And there you go, a design that started from a tree trunk in England all done in 72 hours.

Sabden, England

Leaving London, I headed North in search of antique light fixtures. Along the way I was inspired by the views of the breathtaking countryside.  Rolling hills with rock walls dating back 500 years put history in perspective.  I traveled through areas that were settled before America was discovered and yet each village I visited kept the sense of history in place, almost as if time stood still.  It was a refreshing lesson in historic preservation.

Around every corner were more beautiful views.

One stop was Pendle Antique Centre which is located on an original cobble stone street.  I realized I was shopping for antiques in a building that was older than all the pieces inside.

Inside I found a wide selection of antiques including stained glass pieces that dated back 200-300 years.  Here is a photo of one that was salvaged from a nearby church.

I lucked out by finding these 2 light fixtures.  Both of them made of beautiful colored glass and the perfect art deco style I was looking for.

London

After a 10 hour flight I woke up to an amazing sunrise over the UK.  Having the entire day ahead of me meant I could spend some time at one of my favorite markets in London, Portobello Market on Portobello Road.

One of my favorite places to visit on Portobello Road is Chloe Alberry best known for unique hardware.  They also carry antique tile, some over 150 years old.  I felt like a kid in a candy store.

Chloe Alberry is not a big shop, but they have tables full of unique door knobs made of cyrstal, marble, bone, and ceramic.

One of the tables (below) looks like bowls of candy, but they’re actually cabinet knobs.  I could have filled an entire suitcase full of ‘em

After a while it was time for a pit stop at my favorite pizza place on Portobello Road.  If you ever visit, you can’t miss it…it’s the only place with a miniature car in the window with a slab of pizza sticking out of it

My next stop was at a print and map shop.  They have boxes full of old maps that are easy to transport home.  Many of them are printed on paper that has weathered over the years adding a nice patina to them.  On a recent project, I framed a large map of Paris cut down into 36 individual frames.  On this trip I bought maps of London from the early 1900’s.

In addition to the many boutiques, some vendors set up tables on the street (below).  This gramophone caught my eye, but it was the pewter miniature English cars that will come home with me.  I recently saw replica’s of these cars in a Ralph Lauren Home store. They will make a great accessory in a study or paired with books on a coffee table.

That’s it for today - check back as I head North to shop for Art Deco light fixtures with a client. Cheers - Kenneth

Thursday

Second-hand furniture stores are a great source for hidden treasures.  Even when I don’t find any gems, a good laugh is around every corner. I thought you’d enjoy seeing some “one of a kind” pieces I found while shopping in a vintage store.  These pieces prove that there is a style for everyone

I imagine that at the time, these chairs worked well in a futuristic design plan

I imagine this bar was once in an actors’ home.  After studying this photo, I noticed the Danish arm chair to the right of the bar.  A gem in hiding 

As a kid I would draw large sailboats like this one.  While I would never hang this in my home, I appreciate the work that went into creating the curved wooden sails

I leave for London tomorrow. Check back often as I plan to write about the design scene there.  Best - KB